Sunday, June 2, 2013

Kala

Kala is, in my opinion, one of the most important concepts for the early student to understand and embrace. The word Kala itself can be used to convey multiple ideas within the Tradition. The first meaning is related to the state of being. To be Kala is to be completely clean within yourself. This is an ultimate state of perfection that we strive for; to be completely unburdened by complexes a...nd blocks so that our three Souls can be in total alignment and we can shine brightly.

The next way that the term gets used is as the techniques that different lineages use to try and attain this state. The Kala Rite, or Making Kala, can and is done in a myriad of different ways, depending on one’s lineage and/or intention. One simple way is to charge a glass of water with mana, and the intention to become pure, and then to drink that water down. To a Catholic, this might seem sacrilegious, because we are basically drinking the Holy Water that we blessed ourselves, but when you look at how much of your body is water, why wouldn’t you wish to drink it? As this water leaves your stomach it becomes part of your overall water system, spreading that blessing throughout your whole body. The last phase is when you urinate next, where impurities that block your connection to spirit are purged with the rest of the toxins you expel. As most of the Feri folk I know tend to be a jovial bunch, when hanging out together we will announce our need to use the restroom by saying “I need to go finish my Kala.”

The Kala Rite is not intended to be something you do once and then you are forever clean and in the Kala state. I wish that were the case, but the reality around us tends to lend itself toward the creation of blockages within the energy body. We pick up lots of toxins as we go through our day, both physically and psychically. Some lines of Feri refer to the Fetch as the “sticky one”, because well, it grabs onto things and has a hard time letting go. Be it the anger someone sent at you because of their own road rage, or any damaging thoughts and emotions that you have yourself, when we are out in the world, outside of the Circle, outside of meditation, you get dirty. And just like we shower or bathe to keep our physical body clean, so we make Kala to keep our spiritual body just as clean.

I also want to point out that this, like many other somewhat abstract Feri concepts, is an ultimate ideal. It is something we strive for, so that in the actions we get closer to the level of perfection that we crave, but is unrealistic to expect to be 100% Kala at all times. I can safely say I have never met a single individual who was always perfectly Kala. The end goal is not the point, the point is the journey there, and it is a journey that will go beyond this single lifetime.